Elevator boot construction



Dec. 30, 1947. G. E. HULSE ELEVATOR BOOT couswnucnom Filed April 6, 19453 Sheets-Sheet l I 1 A 1 INVENTOR G. E. HULSE De c. 30, 1947.

' ELEVATOR BOOT CONSTRUCTION Filed April 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR 96076 E. Hulse BY J a ems "7 Dec. 30, 1947. HULSE 2,433,697

ELEVATOR BOOT CONSTRUCTION Filed April 6, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. z"BYgez'n e [fuse INVENTOR 62 4 @aw mw M' ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 30, 1947ELEVATOR BOOT CONSTRUCTION George E. Hulse, New Haven, Conn, assignor toThe Safety Car Heating and LightingCompany, Inc., a corporation ofDelaware Application April 6, 1945, Serial No. 586,894

Claims. (Cl. 198-207) This invention relates to elevator bootconstruction.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an elevator bootconstruction which is simple, practical, and thoroughly durable. Anotherobject is to provide a construction of the above character which will besturdy and well able to withstandthe strain of hard usage. Anotherobject is to provide a construction of the above character,

the manufacture of which will be economical both from the standpoint oflabor and materials used. Another object is to provide a construction ofthe above character which may be quickly and easily adjusted tocompensate'for changes in length of the elevator belt. Another object isto provide a construction of the above character wherein the boot andpulley are automatically adjusted to changes in the length of the belt.A further object is to provide a construction of the above character inwhich the boot is at all times so positioned with respect to the bucketsthat the material being elevated cannot accumulate at the bottom of theboot. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, all as will beillustratively described herein, and the scope of the application ofwhich will be indicated in the following claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of thevarious possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the elevator boot construction;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section takenon the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of a portion of the machine shown inFigure 1 taken on the line 55 of Figure 1; and, a

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the construction shown inFigure l in modified form.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawmgs.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of thisinvention, it might here be pointed out that considerable difficulty hasbeen experienced with elevator boots used in connection with the buckettype of elevator belts be-.

cause of the fact that the material being elevated, such as flour,accumulates in the boot and thus makes an ideal spot for the propagationof insect life. The reason that a space exists in which the materialaccumulates is directly attributable to the fact that use causeselevator belts to stretch. Due to this fact, space is provided betweenthe bottom of the buckets and the boot to permit the lower pulley overwhich the belt runs to be adjusted downwardly as the belt stretches.Accordingly, when the belt is new, there is considerable clearancebetween the buckets and the bottom of the boot and the material beingelevated, such as flour, accumulates in the bottom of the boot where thebuckets cannot reach it. The insect life in the flour then propagatesand this point in the elevator becomes an infestation center from whichinfestation spreads into the flour passing through the elevator and thusthrough the mill with resultant damage to the product being produced. Itis another object of this invention to overcome the abovementioneddifficulties as well as many others.

In general, material is elevated by buckets in (Figure 3) mounted on anendless elevator belt ll. Belt ll runs on pulley l2 which is mounted ona boot, generally indicated at. [3. Boot I3 overlaps and is verticallyadjustable with respect to a casing, generally indicated at It, andvertical adjustment between the boot and casing is made by screws 9 and[5 (Figure 2). Accordingly, as pulley I2 is mounted on boot [3 whenevepulley I2 is lowered to tension belt I I, the bottom of buckets I0always clear the bottom of the boot (Figure 3) by the same amount.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, casing l4 (Figures 1, 2, and 3)is of rectangular shape and is mounted on a framework, generallyindicated at Hi. This framework includes four corner posts l1, l8, l9,and 2B, the feet of which are preferably connected to the floor. At theends of the construction, posts I l and I9 are connected by a pair ofchannel-shaped structural members 2| and 22 (Figure 3) and posts l8 and20 are connected by structural members 23 and 24. At

the bottom of the sides of the construction, posts I! and 18 and postsl9 and 20 are connected by structural members 25 and 26, while at thetop, a pair of channel-shaped structural members 21 and 28 (Figures 1and 3) extend between and are connected to transverse structural members2| and 23 (Figure 3). The inner faces of members 2! and 28 are paralleland are spaced from each other a distance equal to the width of casingl4 (Figure 2).

Casing M has a flange Ma extending outwardly from its upper edge andthrough this flange it is secured by screws 29 (Figures 2 and 3) to theunder surface of structural members 2|, 23, 21, and 28. The casings 30and 3| through which the buckets and belt move are rectangular in crosssection and are connected by angle brackets 32 and 33 which are fixed tothe casing by rivets 36 and which are connected to the respectivestrucutral members 23, 21, and 28. The space between casings 30 and 3|is closed by a plate 34 supported by brackets 32 and 33. The space tothe left of the lower end of casing 353, as viewed in Figure 3, isclosed by a plate 35 which is connected to structural member 2| in anysuitable manner and to casing 30 by bracket 33. Plate 35 is providedwith a suitable opening 3'! through which the material to be elevated isfed.

The boot l3 includes a pair of side plates 40' and H (Figures 1, 2, and3) which are connected by the bottom 52 of the boot. The bottom 42 isconnected to the lower edges of side platesM! and ll in any suitablemanner, such as by screws 43 (Figure 2). The upper portions 42a and 42?)(Figure 3) of the bottom of the boot are vertical with respect to theframework and parallel with respect to each other, and these portions ofthe bottom plus the upper portions of side walls 4%) and Al (Figure 2)form a mouth for the boot which is rectangular in cross section. Theinternal dimensions of this mouth are slightly greater than the externaldimensions of casing M, thus permitting the mouth of boot l3 to slideover the casing.

To seal the opening between the inner surface of the boot and the outersurface of easing M, a gasket 45 (Figures 2 and 3) is provided. Thisgasket is held in position by a retaining ring we of rectangular shapewhich is bolted by bolts 46 to flanges sea, 46a, 42c, and 42d extendingoutwardly from the upper edges of side plates 40, Al, and bottom 62.This gasket eifectively prevents leakage of the material being elevatedbetween the boot and casing l4.

Pulley 82 (Figures 2 and 3) is mounted on boot l3 by a shaft 55. Theends of this shaft are mounted on roller bearings 56 and 51 mounted inturn on the side walls t and M of boot l3. Gaskets e and 59 arepreferably provided to prevent the lubricant used on bearings 56 and 51from entering the boot. As is best shown in Figures 2 and 3, pulley i2is of a size and shaft 55 is so positioned that the bottom of eachbucket just clears the bottom of the boot. Because of the fact that thepulley is mounted on the boot in a permanent position with respectthereto, this predetermined clearance is always maintained when the beltis properly tensioned.

Boot i3 is supported by and adjusted with relation to casing M by screws9 and I5. These screws extend through holes in bosses 5B and 5! (Figure2) extending outwardly from boot side plates Li?) and 5! and thread intothreaded holes in supporting members 52 and 53. Supporting members 52and 53 are secured by screws 52a and 53a to studs 21a and 28a welded tostructural members 2'! and 28 (Figures 2 and 4). Screws 9 and I5 areprovided with enlarged portions to and Mia (Figure 2) immediately abovebosses 5i) and 5!, and thus, when these screws are turned to move bootl3 and thus pulley l2 downwardly to tighten belt ll, these screws actbetween supporting plates 52 and 53 and the upper surfaces of bosses 50and El to move the boot downwardly. When it is desiredto remove 4 thebelt prior to the installation of a new one, screws 9 and i5 are screwedin the opposite direction and the boot is raised, the heads 9b and I51)of screws 9 and i5 carrying the weight of the boot.

To guide the boot as it is adjusted with respect to casing M and thusmaintain the motion between these portions of the constructionrectilinear, a pair of guide bars in the form of angle bars are mountedon the framework. Each pair of guide bars coacts with bosses on the sideof the boot adjacent to them to guide the boot as it moves upwardly anddownwardly. Guide bars 62 and ti (Figure l) at their tops are connectedby screws 53a to studs 28a and at their lower ends are connected tostructural member 26 (Figure 2). Guides 62 and 63 are connected byscrews 52a (Figure 4) to studs 21a and to structural member 25.

The bosses 5i! and El on each of the sides 40 and M of the boot aresimilarly positioned (Figures 1 and 2) and are of similar construction.Each of the bosses 66, Bl, 68, and 69 (Figure 1) on side 553 has arecessed portion (see also Figure 5) in which the respective portions ofthe guide bars62 and 63 are positioned. The guide bars are maintained inthis position by cap plates iii, 1!, l2, and 13 which are secured to thebosses by screws. Thus, as the boot is raised or lowered with respect tocasing 14, the guide bars and the bosses on the side plates guide theboot so that it moves with rectilinear motion with respect to casing l4.

Referring to Figure 6, in which a modification of a portion of theconstruction is shown, a rod 83 is used on each side of the constructioninstead of screws 9 and i5. These rods extend through holes in thesupporting members, such as member 52, and are secured to the bootbosses similar to boss 58 by nuts 8| and 82. Springs, such as spring 63,are mounted on the rods to exert resilient pressure between the undersurface of the supporting members and the bosses and thus resilientlypress the boot down downwardly. Accordingly, as the belt I I stretches,the springs automatically move the boot downwardly thus maintaining thebelt under constant tension.

Thus, it will be clear that an efficient and practical elevator bootconstruction has been disclosed in which the buckets always clear thebottom of the boot by the same predetermined amount, thus preventing theaccumulation at the bottom of the boot of the materials being elevated.Furthermore, the construction described permits the tension on theelevator belt to be quickly and easily adjusted as the belt stretchesduring use. Accordingly, the objects hereinabove mentioned as well asmany others, have been successfully accomplished.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention allwithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

The invention claimed is a follows:

1. In an elevator construction, the combination of, a rectangular frameincluding four vertical corner posts and a plurality of horizontal framemembers, two pairs of vertical guide bars fixed to said frame wherebyparallel guideways are formed along two opposite sides of said frame, afixed casing structure mounted on said frame and including a horizontaltop wall portion and a downwardly projecting skirt portion, a bootpositioned Within said frame beneath said fixed casing structure andhaving an open top which telescopes with said skirt portion, said boothaving two parallel side portions positioned respectively adjacent saidguideways and each having an integral bearing sleeve which is positionedsubstantially centrally with respect to its bearing sleeve, bracketmeans projecting from the side of each of said side portions andengaging the respective guideways whereby the boot may be movedvertically and yet held in upright position, and means to adjust thevertical position of said boot with respect to said skirt portion.

2. A construction as described in claim 1 which includes, bearing meanswithin each of said bearing sleeves, and a pulley carried by saidbearing means.

3. A construction as described in claim 2 wherein the mean for adjustingthe position of 20 the boot comprises, a pair of brackets fixed to theopposite sides of said frame substantially above the respective bearingmeans, a pair of brackets fixed respectively to the opposite sides ofsaid boot directly beneath the respective fixed 25 brackets, and a pairof rods extending respec- 6 tively through each fixed bracket and itsassociated bracket.

4. A construction as described in claim 3 which includes a sealing stripfixed to the upper edge of the boot and projecting into engagement withthe skirt portion.

5. An elevator construction as described in claim 4 which includes apair of springs positioned respectively around said rods between therespective brackets, thereby to urge the boot downwardly.

GEORGE E. HULSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 203,887 Caldwell et al May 21,1878 417,614 Webber et al Dec. 1'7, 1889 880,303 Hethington Feb. 25,1908 1,160,523 Morrow Nov. 16, 1915 1,570,235 Fooks Jan. 19, 19261,925,024 Slater Aug. 29, 1933

